Book-support



c. u. WlDMER.

BOOK SUPPORT.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.6| IQIB Patented June 3, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I- c. u. WIDMER. BOOK SUPPORT.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.6..I91B,.

Patented June 3, 1919. 2 SHEETS-SHEAET 2 CHRISTIAN U. WIDMER, OF UPLAND, CALIFORNIA.

BOOK-SUPPORT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 3, 1919.

Application filed August 6, 1918. Serial No. 248,566.

7 '0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHRISTIAN U. WIDMER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Upland, in the county of San Bernardino and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Book- Supports, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in supports for books, papers or other reading matter, and has for one of its objects to provide a simply constructed device whereby the reading matter may be supported in convenient position for the reader whether reclining, standing, or sitting, and adapted to be supported from the shoulders of the reader, or upon the couch or bed upon which the reader is reclining.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this character in which the support for the reading matter is adjustable to adapt it to near or far sighted persons or to difi'erent sized persons.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction, as hereinafter shown and described and then specifically pointed out in the claims; and in the drawings illustrative of the preferred embodiment of the invention' v Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved device arranged to be supported from the shoulders of the reader at one end and by the couch or bed upon which the reader is reclining,

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a plan view,

Fig. 4 is a detached perspective view of the standard employed when the device is used by a reader in a reclining position.

The improved device comprises a supporting frame including side members 10, a head member 11 connected at its ends to the members 10 at one end of the latter and an intermediate transverse stay member 12. Each of the members 10 is longitudinally slotted as indicated at 13, and bearing beneath the members 10 at the slotted portions are bars 14 curved at one end as shown at 15 to engage over the shoulders of the reader. Extending through each of the bars 14 at the end opposite to the curved portion is a clamp bolt 16 which extends respectively through the slots 13 and each provided with a wing nut 1'? bearing against the upper faces of the members 10. By this means the bars 14 are adjustable longitudinally of the members 10 within the range of the slots 13. Extending beneath the members 10 and the head member 11 is a bar 18 having downturned terminals 19. The bar 18 is provided with clip devices 20 which bear against the sides ofthe head member 11 and prevent lateral displacement. Bearing against each of the downturned portions 19 is a foot member 21 having a longitudinally directed slot 22. Extending through each of the members 19 at its lower end is a clamp bolt 23, the clamp bolts extending through the slots 22 and provided with a wing nut 24. By this means the members 21 are adjustable longitudinally of the portions 19 of the member 18 within the range of the slots 22. The member 18 is clamped in position relative to the head member 11 by clamp bolts 25 carrying wing nuts 26. The bolts 25 extend through the clip devices 20 and the portion of the member 18 which is engaged by the clip devices and thence through the member 11. By this means the member 18 is firmly clamped in position relative to the head member 11 and the former together with its extension portions 21 adj ustably and firmly secured in position relatively to the v supporting frame.

Rising from the head member 11 intermediate the ends thereof is a standard 27, and extending from the standard is a plate 28 having a pivot bolt 29 to which an arm 30 is pivotally united at one end.

The member 28 is provided with a segmental slot 31, and extending through the. member 30 and likewise through the slot is a clamp bolt 32 having a wing nut 33. By this means the arm 30 may be adjusted vertically relative to the member 28 to any required extent within the range of the slot 31. The bar 30 is preferably twisted onehalf a revolution, so that the outer portion of the bar is at right angles to the inner portion which bears against one face of the member 28. The outer portion of the bar 30 is slotted longitudinally as shown at 34.

The book support comprises a frame including vertical side members 35, a plurality of transverse members 36 and a book shelf portion 37. Attached to the members 35 is an intermediate vertical member 38. Extending through the member 38 and through the slot 34 of the member 30 is a clamp bolt 39 having a wing nut 40.- By this means the book supporting frame is adjustable relatively to the member 30 within the range of the slot 34, and may likewise'be caused to swing upon the bolt 39 as a center, if required.

Attached to the members 35 are hooks 41 to support a flexible holding member, such as a light chain or cord 42. The flexible member is provided with a ring 43 at one end and a plurality of knobs or stops 44 at the other end, the stops being disposed in spaced relation. By this means an effectual supporting device to hold a book in open position is produced. In using the member 42 the eye 43 is connected with one of the members 41 at one side and passed over an open book when the latter is resting upon the shelf 37 and one portion of the flexible member between the stops 44 engaged with one of the hooks 41 at the opposite side of the frame. By providing a plurality of the stops 44 it will be obvious that the flexible member may be stretched across the open book and readily adapted to the thickness of the book. Thus the holding device is adapted to books or other reading matter of varying thicknesses, and will hold the book in position upon the holding frame. Vhen a leaf of the book is to be turned or other reading matter changed, the end of the flexible member which contains the stops 44 willbe detached and then again arranged in position after the leaf has been turned or the reading matter arranged in its new position. If the reader is in a reclining position upon a couch or bed, the curved members 15 are arranged over the shoulders and the leg portions 21 and the book holding frame adjusted to bring the book in proper relation to the eyes of the reader, the free ends of the leg portions 21 resting upon the couch at each side of the reader. If the reader is in sitting position, the leg portions 21 and the bar 18 are detached, and the remaining portion of the device suspended from the shoulders of the reader, and the book support adjusted tobring the book in proper relation to the eyes. It is also possible to adjust the leg portions 21 so that they bear upon the arms of a chair.

The improved device is simple in construction, can be adjusted to accommodate a variety of positions, and enables the reader to support a relatively heavy book without fatigue in convenient position for the eyes.

The frame members 101112, the leg members 21 and the support 27 and slot holding member 28 are preferably of wood, while the members 1415 and 30 are preferably of metal. The members comprising the book supporting frame are likewise preferably of wood, the wood portions being as light as possible consistent with the strains to which they will be subjected.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A holder for reading matter comprising a frame, shoulder engaging members secured to and adjustable longitudinally of the frame, a bar extending transversely of one end of the frame and provided with depending portions, feet carried by and adjustable longitudinally of the depending portions of the transverse bar, means for detachably securing the transverse bar to the frame. a standard pivotally mounted for movement in a plane at substantially right angles to that of the frame, means for securing'the standard in difierent positions of adjustment, and a rack carried by said standard.

2. A holder for reading matter comprising, a frame, shoulder engaging members secured to the frame, a transverse bar extending beneath the frame at one end thereof and provided with terminal depending portions,

bar and adjustable vertically with respectthereto, clips extending beneath the bar and embracing the adjacent portions of the frame, bolts extending through the clips, transverse bar and frame and provided with securing nuts, an upstanding plate secured to the frame near the transverse bar and provided with a segmental slot, a standard pivotally mounted on the plate, a, rack carried by and adjustable vertically with respect to the standard, and a fastening device extending through the slot and standard for supporting the standard in different positions of adjustment with respect to the frame.

3. A holder for reading matter comprising a substantially rectangular frame including longitudinally slotted side members connected by end members, a transverse bar extending beneath the frame at one of the end members thereof and provided with terminal depending portions, slotted feet engaging said depending portions, fastening de vices extending through the slots in the feet and engaging the depending portions for sedevices extending through the slots in the side bars of the frame and engaging said shoulder hooks for securing the hooks in adjusted position. 7

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature. CHRISTIAN U. WVIDMER. [1,. s..]

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents eacinby addressing the Commissioner of Batents,

Washington, D. G. 

